Bell admits to being naive and stupid

After being at the centre of the run-out drama, England batsman Ian Bell admitted that it was "naive and stupid" on his part to walk off the crease, assuming that the tea break had been called on day three of the second Test against India here on Sunday.

"It was being naive on my part to assume that the ball was dead and walk off for tea, it was stupid," stated Bell whose stupendous 159 was overshadowed by the run-out drama at the stroke of tea.

Bell was controversially given run out when he left the crease after completing a run, assuming that the ball is dead and tea had been called.

The batsman was, however, called back after the Indian team, in a fine gesture, withdrew its appeal. "Morgan had clipped one off his pads right down to the boundary, the fielder had dived, it looked like having gone for four, the fielders body-language suggested so. I had touched down for the third (run) and turned and saw Asad (umpire Asad Rauf) pull out the jumper and looked like he was going to hand it over to the bowler," Bell said.

"My initial reaction was naive and to walk off for tea. I walked up to Morgan. I wasn't attempting a run and everything was meandering towards walking off for tea. It wasn't until we reached the boundary ropes, we realised something had changed.

"We felt something was going on. But not thinking it involved us. We were waiting to understand. Even then it was a shock (when I was given out)."

Bell revealed that it was at the very last moment that he was told he could resume his innings. "It was at the very last minute. Prior had padded up to go. There was this last-minute knock on the door that I could go out and bat. After the captains and coaches had met, India had got back to us."

On the other hand, senior Indian batsman Rahul Dravid stated that the decision to recall Bell was taken in keeping with the spirit of the game.

"There was unanimity in the team meeting at tea and it was taken keeping in with the spirit of the game," Dravid said after the day's play.

"If we go strictly by the rules he was out. These things are all a matter of conjecture," he added.

Talking about Indian bowlers' performance in the match, Dravid said, "They really tried their best. England bat deep, they have a great advantage of batting deep. And once the bowlers get tired, great batsmen cash in."